Canopy hammock



July 11, 1944. E CHARLOP 2,353,220

CANOPY HAMMOC-K Filed Feb. 1, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet l Z4 INVENTOR ELLITTCHAHLP BY ATTORNEY E. CHARLOP vJuly 11,` 1944.

CANOPY HAMMOC'K 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. .1, 1940 IIIII.

B n., T.. ...I

INVENTOR ELLIOTT CHAHLUP BY ATTORNEY July 11,1944. A E CHARLOP l W2,353,220

CANOPY HAMMOCK Filed Feb. l, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 5lll/IllIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIA INVENTOR ELLIOTT CHAHLUP ATTORNEY .theframe are of several types. -mits a certain amount of turning ortwisting of .of cross legs.

Patented July 11, 1944 ,uNlrEDsTATfis param OFFICE 2,353,220 y cANoPYHmm/rock Elliott Charlop, New York, N. Y. Application February 1, 1940.Serial No. 316,736

` (ci.v -12s) 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a convertible hammock tent and supporttherefor. It can be .used without tent flaps as a hammock with a canopyoverhead both being supported on the same frame, or just with thehammock alone.v These aps are` removably attachable to the canopy tohang therefrom. The frame is so constructed that it can be easily takenapart and the whole device compactly set in a container small enoughthat it can be readily carried by hand. The frame is of yieldableresilient construction providing a comfortable give to the hammock whenloaded. The frame has provision for suspending therefrom a hangingmember, that is either the canopy alone. or the hammock alone, or theframe may support both such hanging members. When a canopy is supportedon the frame, this give puts slack into it. The frame is so designed toput the canopy under initial tension to prevent such slack. The framehas upwardly extending spring members which normally pull in `alongitudinal direction on the rafters at each end of the canopy. Therafters themselves are normally bowedeach in a plane to give alongitudinal pull further to keep the canopy taut. These rafters are somounted and constructed that the canopy may be variably tilted or thesides of the canopy set at different angles with each other. The hammockhooks supporting the hammock on One type perthe hammock about itslongitudinal axis, while the others prevent this to a very great extent.

The hammock frame is supported on a pair The frame is so articulatedthat these legs may assume Various angles with the horizontalindependently of each other. In this manner the feet of the cross legscan adapt themselves to support the hammock with a four point contact onuneven ground.

Owing to the fact that with continued use the hammock stretches to acertain extent, the frame is made so that it can be elongated tocompensate for this stretch.

The ornamental appearance of the supporting frame is similar to thatshown in my pending application Serial No. D-8l,'796.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent upon further study ofthe description and drawings, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a perspective View showing the hammock and canopy in positionon the frame.

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the frame.

Y Fig. 3 is an`enlarged View, partly in section,

showing a portion of the frame and the attachment of the cross legthereto.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged View, partly in section, showing a portion of theframe and an alternative form of attachment of the cross leg.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of one end of the' frame at thecross leg showing the use of the extension sleeve.

Fig. 6 is a plan View of the canopy, the dashed lines showing therafters in normal unflexed condition.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged perspective view of the top of one end of theframe showing the hammock hook and the lower end of a plate springsupport for the canopy.

Fig. 8 is a partial cross section to an enlarged scale through the topof a plate spring support showing the attachment thereto of aV canopyrafter.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the top of a plate spring supportshowing the attachment thereto of a canopy rafter with sides angularlyadjustable with respect to each other.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged perspective view of one end of the frame showinga cross leg with bent under feet.

Fig. l1 is a perspective view of the canopy showing a part of a sideflap and a part of an end flap separated from a rafter, the side flapbeing shown hanging from a supporting bar.

Fig. 12 is a partial longitudinal section through the supporting barshowing its extension sleeve and spring.

Fig. 13 is a perspective View of the end of a cot type of hammockshowing an end cross piece attached to the top of the frame so as not totilt.

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the shroud cords at one end of thehammock attached to a supporting hook which is shown inserted in the topof the frame, said hook preventing tilting of its adjacent end of thehammock,

Fig. 15 is a perspective View of the end of a canopy showing a straightrafter directly connected to a plate supporting spring, and

Fig. 16 is another type of hook preventing tilting of its adjacent endof the hammock.

A hammock IE is hooked in at its ends into the top of a preferablytubular supporting frame denoted in its entirety by the numeral I1.Rising from the lower members of the supporting frame at each end areplate spring supports I8.

`Attached to the top of supports I8 are rafters 40 on which is mounted acanopy I9.

The frame, which is substantially U-shaped, has a pair of bentpreferably tubular end pieces connected by a longitudinal piece 2I,preferably a tube, Figs. 2' and 3. Piece 2I carries fixed to each end,on its inside, a sleeve 22. Bent pieces 2U t slidably over sleeves 22.Near the lower bend of each end piece is fastened, preferably bywelding, a U-shaped bracket 24, the legs of the U, or ears of thebracket extending below piece 29. A tapering notch 23 is provided ineach leg of this bracket. In the form shown in Fig. 3, a bar 25 extendsbetween the legs of the bracket and is fastened thereto preferably bywelding. Bar 25 is provided with a tapped hole to receive the threadedend of thumb screw or bolt 25. Cross leg 21 has two diametricallyopposed openings slidably to receive screw 2S. Inserting screw 26through cross leg 21 and screwing it up tight in bar 25, tightly wedgessaid leg in notches 23, providing a rigid detachable connection of theleg to the frame.

The form of connection for cross leg 21 shown in Fig. 4 dispenses withthe thumb screw, substituting in its stead a U-shaped spring 28. Bracket29 has a bar 39 extending between its legs and fastened thereto as inbracket 24 described above. Fixedly attached to bar 3B ,is a pin SI.SprinfT 28 is pivotally mounted .on pivot pin 32 on a leg of bracket 29.Cross leg 21 is provided with diametrically opposite openings to receivepin 3|. In mounting the cross leg, it is set on pin 3l in notches 23spring 28 being turned up on its pivot pin 32 out of the way. With crossleg 21 inserted in position, spring 28 is turned down so that itsconcavo-convex portion 33 snaps over lsaid leg. Normally the distancebetween portion 33 and pivot pin 32 is less than that shown in Fig. 4,so when the spring is set as showny it has been flexed against itsresiliency.

The upper end of each bent piece 20 is provided with a cap 945 having init an elongated slot 35 and a hole 35. The shroud cords 5E? of thehammock IS, Figs. l and '7 are attached to cross bar 31' of hammockhoo-k 33. The depending arm 39 of said hook is inserted through hole 3Sinto the interior of bent piece 29. With a hook 38 at each end insertedin a cap 34, hammock I6 is suspended from frame I1.

When hammock I6 is loaded, frame I1 is flexed, the upper ends of bentpieces 2G being pulled toward each other. Were supports I8 for canopy I9ordinary stiff rods, the canopy would sag when the hammock is loaded. Inorder to prevent this,

supports I8 are plate springs which must be flexed against theirresilience in order to mount the canopy thereon. At each end of theframe, a spring support i3 is inserted in slot 35 in a cap .34, thespring support exending down in bent .piece 22 until stopped by theupper bend of the latter. As shown in Fig. '2 and in dotted lines inFig. i, spring supports I8 are bowed outward when unstressed, requiringtheir straightening, as shown in l. to allow attachment of the canopy.This holds the canopy under tension at all times, the bending out ofspring supports It compensating for the shortening of the distancebetween the upper ends of bent pieces 2.9. It is not necessary, thoughpreferable, that springs t8 be normally or initially bowed as in Fig. 2.They could be normally straight, but bent inward out of line againsttheir resiliency in order to mount the canopy on them. Further, thecornpensating result could also be obtained if only one of the supportsI8 were a plate spring under iiexure, the other support being stiff.

In Figs. 6 and 11. canopy I9 is'shown supported on rafters 40, therebeing a pair at each end of the canopy. The rafters 40 of a pair, inFig. 11, are inclined to one another, but are integral with each other,each pair forming a single piece. A gusset plate 4I is riveted torafters 40. As seen in Fig. 6, in dashed lines each pair of rafters 40is normally bowed longitudinally of the canopy, that is bowed away fromeach other when viewed in plan. This assists in keeping the canopy tautat its edges. As with plate spring supports IB, it is necessary, thoughnot preferable, only to have one pair of rafters bowed. The stretchingof the `edges of the canopy can be assisted, if not effected, by a rod42, which can also be used to support a side flap 43. The ends of rod 42are Vprovided with pins, one being seen at 44, which t in holes in theends of rafters 40. Rod 42 is made up of two parts, Fig. 12, set in asleeve 45 with a spring I6 between them. Instead of the split rod justdescribed, a one piece rod could be used withpins 4G on the end formounting it in the rafters. Byhaving the one piece rod of 4excesslength, it would stretch the canopy .at the edge when set .betweencorresponding rafters of the pairs.

If `it be desired to use end fia-ps, one of which is .seen at 41, theycan be attached by suitable fasteners 42 to rafters 49.

Each pair of rafters 49 is attached to a support IS hy means of a handscrew 49 extending through its gusset plate 4I (Fig. 8) into a tappedhole in a .support i8. This Vconstruction enables the pairs of raftersto be adjustably set at varicus inclinations with respect to supportsI8.

Instead of using rafters with the rafters of a pair inclined to eachother as rafters 49 in Fig. 11, straight one piece rafters 50, as seenin Fig. l5., could be used. In plan View these rafters, Fig. 6, .arenormally bowed out as shown in dashed lines as was explained above forrafters 4D. These rafters are attached by a screw 49 directly tosupports I8 which permits them to Vbe set at various inclinations withrespect to supports I8.

Still another type of rafter is shown in Fig. 9. Here the rafters 5I ofa pair are hingedly mounted, each by means of a pin 52 on a gusset plate.5.3. An onset portion 54 is provided in gusset plate .53 so that whenthe latter is set on support i8, the offset portion will receive thesupport. .Hand screw 49 vpasses through gusset plate 53 into a tappedhole in support I8 as was explained above in .connection with Fig. 8.Because support `IS sets into offset portion 54, Vgusset plate 53 cannotbe adjustably set in different angular positions with respect to supportI8 .as can gusset plate 4I in Figs. 8 and 1l. Each raftex' ,Sil haspivctally attached to it asettingbar 55 provided with notches 56,fitting over thumb screw 51, which enables the rafters tobe adjustablyset in dierent angular positions with respect to supports I8. Thumbscrew 51 is screwed `in a. tapped hole (not shown) in support I8.

Hammock hook 38 of Fig. 7 permits .a fairly free turning or twisting ofhammock I6 about its longitudinal axis. Hook 5B of Fig. 14, to a greatextent prevents such turning because its cross bar 59 is longer,permitting a Wide spread of shroud cords E0. .Hook 5B cannot rotateabout a horizontal axis because ef the fit of its depending arm GI inhole 35 of cap `11. Should there be considerable play in said hole, thelower end of arm 6I will :contact with the inside of piece 20 and stopsaid rotation.

In Fig. 13 there is shown a hook 62. which like hook 58 of Fig. 14prevents the rotation as noted above. Hook 62 is particularly adapted toa hammock 'II of the cotl type, that is one without the use f shroudcords. Cross bar B3 consists of a tube fitting in a loop 64 of cot 1I.Depending arm E ts in hole 36 of cap 34 extending into piece 28.

The nature of hammock I6 and canopy I9 is such that they will stretch inuse. When this occurs, even with the use of plate spring supports I8,canopy I9 may sag and the hammock may be too loose. In order to obviatethis, insert tubes or extension sleeves 6l are provided, Figs. 2 and 5which can be placed over sleeves 22 between frame pieces 28 and 2l. Theinsertion of insert tubes 6l' will increase the distance between caps34. For a slight stretch it may be sufficient to use only one inserttube 61.

As has been noted above, end pieces 20 are slidably mounted on sleeves22 carried by frame piece 2 i. Such mounting permits pieces 28, whichcarry cross legs 27 xed to them, to rotate about the longitudinal axisof piece 2l. Should the ground upon which cross legs 21 are set beuneven, said legs can rotate about sleeves 22 so that their feet E8 willsuit the elevations of the ground. Both cross legs. however need not beAcapable of relative rotation with respect to piece 2| to achieve thisindependent adaptation to the ground. Only one cross leg need rotate forfour point contact.

In Fig. 10, cross leg 69 has bent under feet 'l0 to provide greaterbearing area for the load broughtJ upon the ground or floor.

Although end pieces 2l! are slidably mounted on sleeves 22, the frame asa whole will not come apart under ordinary usage as the feet of crosslegs 21 or 69, due to the weight carried by them, grip the ground.Should the hammock and its frame be pulled about to change its location,end pieces 2D are prevented from coming off sleeves 22 by the tyingtogether action of the hammock with its hammock hooks setting in holes35 of caps 34. The mounting of canopy I9 on sup-- ports I 8, whichlatter also enter caps 34, also prevents the frame from coming apart.

The frame is so designed and its parts so proportioned that it can bereadily taken apart and carried in a moderate sized carrying case whichcan also hold the hammock and canopy.

In Fig. 16 is shown another type of non-tilt hammock support or hook.This support is also useful as a simple means of increasing the distancebetween the points of suspension of the hammock at opposite ends of theframe. The hook comprises a sleeve 80 which fits like a cap on the topof a piece 2H, said sleeve having a slot 8| in its top for the insertionof a spring support I8, not shown, just as is the case with slot 35 incap 34 of Fig. 14. Eccentrically mounted on sleeve 8D is a cross bar 82having short uprights or hooks 83 at its extremities. Engaging uprights83 are rings 84, each ring holding a group of shroud cords 85. Thegathering of the shroud cords into two groups, which are held asubstantial distance apart from each other at their apices, tends toprevent twisting of hammock 86 about its longitudinal axis while the tof sleeve 80 on the upper end of piece 20 keeps cross bar 82 in asubstantially horizontal plane. Sleeve 80, with hammock 8E disconnectedat the time, can be rotated 180 degrees on piece 20 so that cross bar 82assumes the position shown by the dotted lines. Uprights 83 will thenhave moved outward a distance substantially equal to twice theeccentricity of bar 82 on sleeve 80, thereby increasing the longitudinaldistance between the points of suspension of the hammock at oppositeends of the frame, This is useful in taking up slack developed in thehammock due to its stretching after prolonged use.

As shown in Fig. 16, sleeve 88 is set over the top of piece 28 withoutthe use of a cap 34. However where it should be desired to use the typesof hooks shown in Figs. '7, 13 and 14, at times, as well, sleeve 3@ ismade large enough to set over cap 34, the frame .being supplied withsaid cap. Sleeve Si. with its arm 82 is then removed when it is desiredto use said other type of hoo I claim:

1. A support for a canopy hammock comprising a frame having tubularupwardly extending parts at its ends, a base for said frame, means forattaching a hammock at each of its ends to the upper portion of one ofsaid parts, a closure for the top of each of said parts, said closureconsisting of a cap having a web portion and a sleeve portion which tsover a part, a bar at the upper end of each part, each bar having itslower end inserted through an opening provided in the web of a cap intothe inside of a part, and means for attaching a canopy at each end tothe upper end of one of said bars, at least one of said bars being aspring bar, requiring the bending thereof against its resiliency towardthe other bar to permit the attachment of the canopy, whereby the canopyis kept taut.

2. A support for a canopy hammock comprising a substantially U-shapedframe having tubular upwardly extending parts at its ends, a base forsaid frame, a closure for the top of each of said parts, said closureconsisting of a cap having a web portion and a sleeve portion which fitsover a part, a bar at the upper end of each part, at least one of saidbars being a spring bar, each bar having its lower end removablyinserted through an opening provided in said web and extending well intothe inside of a part, means for attaching a canopy at each end to theupper end of one of said bars, hooks for holding the ends of a hammock,each hook having a downwardly extending arm removably inserted throughan opening in said web and extending well into the inside of a part,said latter opening being provided in the web of each cap in addition tothe opening provided for the bar.

3. A hook for supporting a hammock comprising a ring-shaped member, oneside of said member when supporting a hammock extending generallytransversely of the hammock having a portion at each end offset towardthe hammock, with the shroud cords of the hammock tied to said side inthe offset portions, bunching the cords therein, and an arm extendingdownward from the opposite side of said member for removable engagementwith a hammock supporting frame, said arm being of substantial lengthrelatively to the transverse extent of said member.

4. For use in a hammock construction. having a supporting frame withupwardly extending parts at its ends. a hook having a substantiallyhorizontal cross bar, said bar being offset at predetermined locationsto hold the shroud cords of the hammock in a bunch at each location, anda member attached to and extending downward from said -bar and removablybraced to an upwardly extending part of the frame.

ELLIOTT CHARLOP.

